After completing a software project/product, its maintenance
becomes very tricky if it's not properly taken care of.

Following is the high-level check list to consult to:

1. Thinking about maintaining the software for the future
from the early stage is very important and also define some basic procedures.

2. Technical skills needed for the maintenance work is
crucial but knowing the business side is important too. Any gap between the two is
the disaster recipe.

3. Unit testing, proper release management and continuous integration are some of the necessities to make software operational for the
longer period of time with less hassle. One can also maintain the software
without any of these fancy techniques by following the industry's basic
practices and personal experience. Though automated testing is reduces the risk
of software crashes also.

4. Technology and infrastructure enhancement with the
passage of time for the software product is also very important. If it's
neglected software would be a story from the past.

5. Employee retention and training mechanism (making
dependable) for the new comers is very important for the success and keeping
the product for the longer period of time.

6. Learning and
training for employee with the passage of time is also important so that they
can understand and adopt new trends as per the requirement.

When it comes to software delivery on time, many different factors come to action. Some of them are as follows:

1. Bidding on a project by committing to client's timeline
In this case a timeline is committed before analyzing the requirements completely. In this case after getting the project plan is devised to complete the project within that time frame. Now technicall resources are arranged, research and development is made part of this timeline as if its going to be smooth ride and developrs will overcome everything in allocated eight hours and are sole responsible for timely delivery of project. Often raw requirements are taken as project plan and accordingly deliverables are scheduled.
This approach is not going to meet the time frame already committed.

We were planning to visit the Margalla Hills trails for a
while. Last day, we selected trail 5 because it was lengthy of all and tough
one. It is 5KM long trail.

We shopped for needed supplies in the evening and we were at
trail 5 starting point at 6:00PM. Skies were clear and at that time cool breeze
was blowing. There were only us at that time and we liked it because of its quietness.

About 2KM in the start is an almost straight path. A natural
spring flows along with it.

As we were climbing up, it was getting harder and then we
started to make little stops and do the needful with our supplies. The nature
was at its best and we were determined to defeat it today. This 1.8KM was a narrow
path with greenery on its both sides. We could hardly have a sight view and we
were wondering whether whole trail would be like this. Because we wanted to
enjoy the sky view of Islamabad and surroundings.

At last we were at the best part of trail 5. We had vast
view of surroundings now and it was all fare to have these sights. We still
couldn’t find any other hikers on this trail. Now we were below the Manal Restaurant
and there were four ways to this point. One was from where we were coming. On
was going straight up to hill, other to near village that had spring. 4th
a straight path coming from left side of trail 5.

We decided to visit spring. It was easy trail here and we
had whole Islamabad in front of us. After half an hour we reach at the spring
and we were disappointed. We were expecting a fresh, cool, deep spring where we
were planning a bath, but unfortunately it was just a splash of a spring.
Anyways, we kept our spirit high and decided to move to Manal Resturant from
here. So in another 30 minutes, we were at Manal Resturant.

Now there is a new restaurant in progress called La Monata.
It was around 9:00PM and we were here at Manal. The Manal was closed, so we
came to La Monata for breakfast. We had our breakfast. It was yummy and
expensive and there rate is little high. About 1000 PKR per person for an
average food here.

Now we were ready to come back and we followed our trail
from here. At 10:50 AM we were at starting point again. But another journey was
waiting for us at the starting point of trail 5. We saw a sign 150 Feet away. We decided to pay a visit there.
After more than 1500 feet, we were just wondering on trail with greenery surrounding.
There was nothing here. So we came back.

Overall it was good exercise and it was beautiful landscapes
one could dream of.

I have been in software industry of Pakistan for more than eight years now. I have the experience of working with many people and companies. Today my focus is on HR system in these organizations. My Experience and analysis is not only based on the companies I have worked in but also the companies whom I know personally due to some interaction and also there are some companies whom I know with the reference of my colleagues.

My focus of discussion would be software companies, HR departments and software developers.
Mostly HR people have no direction for their job and other people in company also remain confuse regarding their role in the company. Normally their job is to posts job on job portals; send the received CVs to technical people for analysis and then arranging an interview. After that sending a offer letter based on interview.

Other than that they have no focus on employees, their job related issue, issue with management, interaction with team, identifying behaviors of individuals, employees skill development policies and judging the relationship b/w teams, two employees, relationship of manager and team member etc.

HR people are supposed to come to conclusions to such problems within the organization and take actions. But unfortunately as they are not trained to do any of such thing, they talk what they are told be senior management and are blind of facts most of time. They just know English and calling and arranging interviews.
Some HR people in a few companies have developed a systematic approach to handle the employees issue within team, with managers and with the company by introducing some senior people (sharing some of HR responsibilities) from that department. So that employee can frankly talk about their issues. On papers it’s a good effort and must be appreciated, but in my experience it’s has no significant role but letting oneself being the target. It hurts the person who follows it and the end result is worse than to just moving to another company silently. The seniors make sure you are learn your lesson well and off course HR people are there to help and obey seniors.

One other area which is neglected by HR department is dress code. Most women are fashion symbol and dress to party while men are just opposite. Majority of men dress up very casually and they are not presentable and can’t attend any format meeting. Means both approaches are wrong. Office should look like an office. Banks are good example for maintaining the dress code.

Nobody wants to pay and appreciate the software developer but wants him to work like a donkey 24 hours a day. In software companies, software developers have longest working hours and HR people have shortest. There is always question for coming late but no appreciation for going late. The extra hours invested by the software developer are not paid and are not appreciated and also forced to do so. It hurts software developers personal, social and work life, which eventually affect the company but here people are not mature enough to understand it. That’s why software engineering career is on decline in Pakistan.

One last thing, there is no solution for abusive management like owner, CEO etc. HR people who can’t handle mid level managers, it’s beyond their ability. The feudal psyche that the person who works for me is my slave is not changed yet in Pakistani owners, CEOs etc. And it doesn’t seem to go away very soon. This point may or may not be part of HR debarment. But it surely is related to human resources of the company.